


I Loved You Then

by CoffeeComicsGalore



Series: Music That Inspires a Story [4]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Based on a song, Episode: s03 Animaestro, F/M, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:28:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28114638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeComicsGalore/pseuds/CoffeeComicsGalore
Summary: Kagami loved him so damn much it hurt her entire being. But she knew it was all a facade, something he did to please his father.No, not to please,she realizes. She turned her head and left the bedroom, walking towards her office to give a moment to herself. She knew it was a farce because of his father's and her mother's agreement back when they were only children.As she sat there in silence, she thought back to the last six years, trying to remember when he was ever hers, but she knew deep down in her heart that he was never hers to begin with. He was always Marinette's.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi
Series: Music That Inspires a Story [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618345
Comments: 14
Kudos: 49





	I Loved You Then

**Author's Note:**

> I heard the song [Then](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9OJpU7O_cU) by Anne Marie. 
> 
> I heard it today and immediately thought of Adrigami. Quantumchickpea reminded me of Animaestro and the weird agreement Tsurugi signed and this is what happened. 
> 
> Don't kill me!

_We had it good, you know_

_I spent like six years makin'_

_Sure you came home to love_

_You had it good, you know_

_I stood by your side_

_I spent up so much time_

_Tryna make you happy_

_I don't think you ever could be happy_

Kagami laid on her side as she looked out towards the window. It was quiet, the room almost silent besides the low hum of her husband's snores, the sweet sounds becoming more and more painful to hear as she laid awake. She silently shifted, trying to find a more comforting position than the one she was currently in, hoping that the exhaustion of the day would finally quell the thoughts that rummaged through her mind.

She didn’t know what to do. The nauseous feeling came back as the last few days came crashing through her thoughts. She closed her eyes once more, taking in one deep breath as she tried to calm her nerves.

She turned onto her back, her head turned along just enough to see the tips of his blonde hair in her peripherals. She closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall. She was stronger than this, stronger knowing what she now knew, but she felt her heart shattering once again once the mumbled phrases slipped through his dream-like state about _her_. 

Kagami could only silently reply with one thing:

_I loved you._

She cleared her throat, finally letting herself get up and walk towards the doorway. She stopped, dropping her head and letting out another heavy sigh before turning her head towards Adrien’s sleeping form.

She loved him so damn much it hurt her entire being. But she knew it was all a facade, something he did to please his father.

 _No, not to please_ , she realizes. She turned her head and left the bedroom, walking towards her office to give a moment to herself. She knew it was a farce because of his father's and her mother's agreement back when they were only children.

Heck, she was still a child. Twenty years old and married to the love of her life. She thought life couldn’t be any better. If only she had known the truth. So that’s what she did. She searched for that truth. She needed to know if the facade their parents displayed whenever they were around was the cause of Adrien’s discomfort. But she knew that there was something else.

Kagami walked into the office and sat in her chair, staring at the smiling couple in the photo that sat perfectly on the corner of her desk. It was a picture of their wedding day, the happiest day that she ever thought she would have, at least not until the day they would have children of their own.

They were standing in front of a weeping willow, the beautiful white blossoms surrounding them as the perfect backdrop to their ceremony. She was smiling up at Adrien, her arm wrapped around his with their fingers intertwined. She noticed that he was smiling, his eyes turned down to the ground. 

She remembered that this particular photo was a candid shot - which was why she loved it - his carefree smile being one of the reasons she fell for him completely. But now that she sat there alone, the thought back to that day, remembering that moment like it was yesterday. She remembered the photographer had mentioned how happy they both looked, like they were soulmates bound to be together forever. He muttered something and looked down, giving the photographer that smile with a chuckle. 

Kagami looked down at the ring on her finger and fiddled with it, remembering that it was his usual model-like smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes. In fact, the chuckle and smile seemed so rehearsed, so pained even, and now she understood why.

_Once I would have died for you, baby_

_I loved you, I loved you, I loved you_

_But that was then_

She sighed, removing the folder from the hidden drawer in her desk. She closed her eyes once more, opening the folder before slowly opening her eyes. 

Staring back at her were dozens of photos and transcripts that the private investigator had produced. Photos of Adrien kissing Marinette on the lips in her bedroom with barely any clothing on, the telephone records of his private cell phone that he called her from, even the photos of the “meetings” Adrien had gone to with her at some fancy affair when he stated he would be working late. 

_You don't know shit, you know_

_You act this big man and you think you are in control_

But what was worse was the transcript of Adrien and Gabriel’s meeting, one of which discussed the hidden negotiations of that night at the movie premiere. The voice recording of that encounter displayed the hatred in Adrien’s tone when he was forced to continue this lie for another two years. That was the day their contractual obligations would end, allowing him to call for a divorce the day after his twenty-first birthday.

_But you don't know shit, you know_

_I stood by your side, and pulled you away from your fire_

_Again, and again, and again_

She read and reread the transcripts before sorting through their six years together in her mind. She tried her hardest to find the moment she lost him to Marinette, but Kagami knew in her heart that he was never hers to begin with. 

_I should have known fire would win_

Folding the folder back and placing it back into the drawer, she looked back at their wedding photo on her table and let out a defeated sigh. She stood up, standing in front of the grand window, crossing her arms as she stared out towards the cloud-covered moon.

She tried to cry, tried to allow her emotions to release from deep within her, but they wouldn’t come. 

“...gami?” Adrien said sleepily as he pressed himself against the doorframe. “You alright?”

Pressing her lips into a soft smile, she turned around to respond. “I’m fine. Go back to bed. I’ll be there soon.”

Adrien let out a yawn. “Okay.” He turned to walk away but stopped and turned back to give her a bittersweet smile.

_Now, when you think of late nights with me there in your bed_

_True ride or die, that's what you had_

_I loved you, I loved you, I loved you_

Kagami turned back towards the moon, releasing one silent tear as she whispered to the void. 

“I loved you...” She said once more, wiping a tear from her cheek. “But that was then.”


End file.
